No Return
by RLBB
Summary: Frank's thoughts during his conversation with Laurel on the porch in 1x07. "It was one stupid kiss. That's it." He looks at her and shrugs his shoulders. He's afraid if he says anything else she'll be able to tell that he's full of shit.


I'm completely enamored with Frank and Laurel's dynamic and I can't get them out of my head. This is my perspective on how Frank is feeling in 1x07, aka "the porch scene". It's one of my favorites because they're both a little vulnerable and totally and completely into each other.

Drop me a review to let me know what you think- I'm considering doing some more exploration with their feelings in some of their scenes. Thanks for reading!

I do not own this story or these characters.

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Frank is pouring himself a cup of coffee when he notices Annalise's front door opening swiftly, a flash of brown hair disappearing through it. On impulse he discards the coffee mug and hurries towards the door, pulling it shut behind him as he makes it onto the porch.

"It's your last day- you're not even gonna say goodbye?" He doesn't mean for it to come out like that. He means to say something more cavalier, something that implies he doesn't care what her answer will be either way. But he's learning that with Laurel, what he means to say and how he actually feels are increasingly becoming mixed up.

Laurel has turned towards him but remains silent, looking at him questioningly.

Oh hell, he might as well just put it out there. She's probably leaving anyway. He leans up against one of the porch columns and says, "Rebecca told me about you going to work at Legal Aide".

"Oh my god, I hate her." He's not entirely sure what this reaction means. He watches carefully as Laurel spins around and then back towards him again.

"I'm considering going to Legal Aide, I haven't decided yet". She looks up at him expectantly and he approaches her slowly, trying to exude some semblance of calm.

"Is this about me being a jerk? 'Cause I'll stop. Don't throw away a great opportunity because of me." He looks down as he perches on the bannister, preparing for the blatant lie he's about to tell her next.

"It was one stupid kiss. That's it." He looks at her and shrugs his shoulders. He's afraid if he says anything else she'll be able to tell that he's full of shit. She's looking at him hesitantly and he hopes he's doing a better job of selling this to her than he had to himself in the hours, days even, after that "stupid" kiss.

"There's nothing else between us." He says it assuredly, looking into her eyes. What is it Annalise is always saying? When someone lies to another person they look directly at them, to see if they're buying the lie. He can't tell what Laurel's thinking but she looks less serious than before- he takes it as a good sign. She hasn't seen through him.

"Really? You mean that?" He's ready to nod enthusiastically, shout it to the neighborhood, whatever it takes to keep her with the team. With him. But then she asks, a little softer this time, "You mean that?"

In that second he takes one look at her and what façade he had tried to put on completely crumbles. Against his better judgement he says, "Of course I don't mean it". There he goes mixing up his thoughts and feelings again.

He stands up and takes a step closer to her. God, what is it about this girl that makes him want to bare his soul and tell her things he's never told anyone? It's going to be his downfall. He can already tell.

"I think about you all the time, it's friggin; annoying". He swears that he's been eloquent in fornt of her at some point in their time together, he just can't think of one right now. He pushes on anyway, he needs to get this out. Looking into her eyes right now, at this very moment, he hadn't realized just how much he looked forward to seeing her every day. To have her pepper him with questions or run one of her theories by him. He can't go back. Not anymore.

"But I'll get over it". He's a foot away from her now and her face is turned up towards him, bright eyes searching his features.

"So don't quit 'cause of me". He means it to be declarative, but it comes out closer to a plea.

"I'll be normal again soon..." before he can stop himself, he's glanced towards her lips. Their heated kiss burns bright in his memory.

"I promise" he finishes in a breath, almost a whisper. He's making this promise to himself. If he can't have Laurel in the way he wants, he'll do anything he can to keep her around. To salvage something between them.

Laurel has been listening to him quietly. He watches carefully as she looks down for a moment and swallows. She looks towards him, and he can't quite get a handle at what she's about to say. Is this the part she tries to let him down easy? Tell him that everything he just said doesn't matter? That she wants to be at Legal Aide spending her time with… someone else?

Instead she says, "What if I don't want you to get over it". She says it slowly, deliberately, looking him in the eye.

For one quick second, his heart leaps and he berates himself for giving into that feeling. But he can't push down the hope that's bubbling up inside him. He raises his head and searches her face at the revelation, looking for the lie.

But she just shakes her head shortly- and it's all he needs.

In one quick motion he scoops her up and kisses her hard- telling her everything he wants to say. Thank you. Thank you for not letting this be over. Thank you for not leaving. Thank you…for this.

He's pushing her up against the porch, and for a moment he worries he's being too rough. But then Laurel's hands are grasping at his belt, tugging it off. In seconds he's lifted her onto the banister and they're kissing feverishly as he thrusts into her. Laurel's hands are all over him and she's moaning softly, in that perfect way that only Laurel can. He doesn't know if he'll ever be able to get that sound out of his head. But right now he doesn't care. Right now all he knows is that he needs Laurel. Needs her more than he's ever needed anything else in his life. If he was gone before, he's completely past the point of no return now.


End file.
